Success Happy

could i manage a decent work/life balance as a barrister?

If i were to become a barrister, is there any plausible way to have a decent work/life balance and still be a good barrister. I know i am capable, and i am determined, but i am put off by the 60 hour minimum week, when i would like to be spending time with my family. Has anyone got any experience in this field? are there any other barristers online that can share their experience? thanks

Public Comments

1. I've seen barrister training damn near kill a nephew of mine, working over 75 hours a week. Stressed? Yup, just a bit. He quit and now he works for a charity, and is much happier.
2. I used to work with a couple of barristers who left chambers to work in private industry where they seemed to enjoy a healthy salary plus a decent work-life balance. Nothing worth having comes easy. It is about more than intellectual capacity. Success takes inner strength and determination too and, just sometimes, a reappraisal of what 'success' means to you.
3. I had to read your question a couple of times to make certain that I got it right. Sorry. Upon my first reading I was not seeing barrister, but barrista and was wondering why that was in the law section. I would guess that you're in the UK. That explains my confusion. While I'm not in any legal training, I do believe that any career like that _can_ be worth the effort, so long as you have the support network from your family and friends. However, since it can require you to work almost two full work weeks in one, it can be difficult for family and friends to be managed if they're not understanding of what your ultimate goals are in your quest. I work two jobs (anywhere from 55 to 70+) hours a week between the two and have gotten little support at home (or so it seems because I've been the one doing the majority of the housework, etc.). they'll need to see you in exchange for the paycheck that you're bringing home, just so that they realize that you're not trying to take advantage of them as live-in maid/food service. If you really want to become a barrister, you must make time for not only your family, but yourself too. Otherwise you'll burn out long before you want to. Good luck. Unfortunately, some professions aren't very accommodating in that regards.
4. Some Barristers are nothing more than a bunch of crooks themselves....and they know it. Further to that, some of them are pompus, arrogant in the extreme and so full of their own imaginary self importance.
5. If you dont want to commit yourself to this sort of workload become a paralegal or something less time consuming...it's unlikely to get better.